Countdown to ACL Festival // HAIM

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There’s only Michael Jordan days left until the ACL Music Festival. That’s 23 for those of you who are a bunch of squares. 23 days! Well 16 days if you were cool enough to get tickets to the first weekend. But let’s be honest – everyone knows that after 10 days in Austin, Texas of playing one weekend, late night shows and a lot of alcohol down on 6th Street. No band will be tired and want to mail in the second weekend..

Ut oh.

I’m not worried. If the guys from Kings of Leon get “dehydrated” and pass out on stage – we’ll be a part of history! Maybe. Either way we had to go the second weekend. Little Nick O’s last “Fall Break” is that weekend. “Fall Break” for those of you who go to a prestigious school is a 5 day break a month into school, basically a way of the teachers saying “Holy shit. Why do I do this again? Get these kids out of here so I can recharge with copious amounts of alcohol for a long weekend.” College professors have it rough.

Either way, it’s getting closer. And previewing all these bands only make it that much better. It’s a fantastic lineup with some phenomenal bands, known and unknown.

“They are kind of like the Jonas Brothers mixed with Hanson, but they are girls and cooler.”

The above statement is perfect. I didn’t come up with it, some one over at BuzzFeed did – one day. But it describes the three sisters from Los Angeles that come together to form the “nu-folk-meets-nineties-R&B” band HAIM. Danielle, Este and Alana grew up singing and performing cover songs in the family band “Rockinhaim” before recently dropping Rockin and just confusing everyone on how to pronounce their new name, “HAIM.” These girls are definitely cooler than the Jonas Brothers but for those of you old enough to remember rocking out to Mmm Bop, they are a new school Hanson with a little bit more soul. Take one look at these girls from the San Fernando Valley. Would you ever guess they were featured on a Kid Cudi song recently? They grew up adoring Destiny’s Child and enjoy the musical stylings of Kendrick Lamar. You take one look at them and think Folk music. Correct. They have opened up for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros as well as Mumford and Sons. But how many Folk bands are signed onto Jay Z’s Roc Nation record label? I’m going to guess none. Or one. If you do in fact count these three very cool sisters. I first stumbled upon them a couple of years ago trying to change things up a bit on my newest mixtape (yes I still burn CD’s) for a long road trip. But the first HAIM song I came across was the above track, “Forever.” A perfect summer jam and even better song to rock out to in the car. For those of you who don’t scream at the top of your lungs, dance in your seat while driving and blackout for 3 and a half minutes at a time while driving – you’re probably a safer driver than me. But what the hell is the matter with you? I dare you to put on “Forever” and not want to get up and dance. Dance, sing. These three came out of nowhere and made a mark in the music world. Riding their bikes. Dancing. Singing. Playing all kinds of instruments. The whole folk meets R&B thing blows my mind and is the perfect way to describe this trio. Only music can you take 2 or 3 or 4 different genres and throw them together and make it work. I’ll tell you what I am most excited to see the lovely Grimes play come ACL. But you better believe I will play that summer mixtape CD featuring HAIM the whole ride down to the festival. And I will be dancing my way over to the stage to hear those folk stylings, with that ninetie’s R&B sound. Forever.